Cafe hopping: all my favorites close to campus

Some may say I have a basic or underdeveloped taste, some a sweet tooth, but to those that know and understand the joys of a sweet drink, the prospect of the first crisp, saccharine sip of heaven is undeniably the best feeling on earth. I usually order an iced vanilla latte unless there is another signature menu that is more tempting. Often this is a special foam or sweetener, matcha or milk tea, occasionally a whole new creation. And for the most part, they are always good (only the cheese latte from The Cheese Industry disappointed me, although their pastries were incredible.) So included below are my highlights around campus.

Favorite cafe: Okrumong, Sinchon

Located near the global dorms, this cafe quickly became a favorite of me and my friends not through their coffee, but their bingsu. It is a secret we’ve kept well, that the best bingsu we’ve ever had is so close to our home, gatekeeping its sweet creamy goodness to preserve the cafe’s serene environment for ourselves. The love for the coffee came later, with their dalgona latte catching our attention as we browsed the menu. Their iced vanilla is a beautiful milky creation, heavy on the sugar depending on which barista makes it, but always a delicious first sip. Also good is simply a cafe latte with a few pumps of the simple syrup. 

Favorite coffee: Pie in the Shop, Yeonnam

I’ve only had it once, but I can still taste the sea salt foam on the sea salt latte from Pie in the Shop in Yeonnam. It was a spur of the moment decision, choosing between the plethora of their signature menu items, the sea salt calling home to me. It was worth it. A thick layer of sea salt foam covered a latte beneath, each part good on their own and together. Taking a sip, the foam stuck to my lips and sank into the coffee pouring out beneath. Once the drink was mostly gone, I mixed the two together per the instructions on the card, and enjoyed the now less salty tasting latte. My friend ordered a black sesame latte, which was equally delicious. It might also be my favorite place for pastries; we ordered our drinks with a blackberry milk tea pie, a tomato basil pastry, and little cookies which we took for the road. It’s by far one of the best cafes I’ve been to and would recommend at least one visit. 

Favorite milk tea: Cha Baekdo, Sinchon

With a few locations around the city, a recently opened Cha Baekdo now stands near Sinchon station. I get their signature taro ball milk tea, which I am sipping on now as I write this. The chewy purple taro balls bathe together at the base of the black milk tea, ice melting as the level of the drink dips closer to the base of the glass. Their tapioca pearls and other milk teas are also good, with options for smoothies and sagos and whatever other variations you can think of. My friends and I will likely work our way through the entire menu before the end of the semester is over, all agreeing it’s the best bubble milk tea we’ve had in Seoul.

Favorite matcha: Metcha, Myeongdong

Undeniably the best matcha I’ve had in Seoul, maybe even in my life although I’m not a big matcha person so don’t have much to compare to. Here, I think my friends and I have tried everything on the menu; from the classic matcha latte, to their espresso matcha latte (my favorite), a strawberry matcha latte (which my friend downed and immediately purchased another), and their ice creams, you really can’t go wrong. They also sell matcha powder and whisks, so depending on how dedicated one is to bringing parts of their Seoul trip home, they can easily do so. One drawback is their wifi is poor, so making it a homework spot is challenging for those who have computer-heavy tasks.

Favorite on campus: Coffee &, Yonsei

This may be controversial, but I love Coffee &. Highlighting notes a little more bitter than other spots in Korea, the coffee tastes like home. It’s easy to order quickly from the kiosk and sometimes I’ll get a waffle with it, tempted by its sweet scent hanging in the air. When the weather was warm, I would sit at the tables outside and watch the crowds of people flowing by, students and tourists all wrapped up in their little world as I sip my coffee in mine. It’s in the main cafeteria, so convenient to stop by after lunch or on my way through campus.

There’s cafes on every corner, chains and local businesses, some home-y and some more commercial feeling, most good (some bad), you really can’t go wrong with the cafe culture in Korea. People sit for hours, doing work or catching up with friends, sometimes just sitting and enjoying the drink they have in their hand. Social media is a great place to find spots to try, people regularly post aesthetic spots and recommend drinks and pastries, but you can also find cute and yummy spots by just walking down the street. Some neighborhoods are better than others for cafe hopping, Yeonnam and Anguk/Jongno are two I’ve explored, and there are plenty others around the city, all you have to do is step outside and find them.